1. Related Field
The present invention relates to a weapon firing simulator and its corresponding method and a weapon target simulator and its corresponding method. In particular, the invention relates to simulating against targets by a single lobe scanning laser transmitter to determine the plurality of information such as, but not limited to, position of a simulated projectile or missile, ammunition type, distance from engager to target, distance from ammunition detonation to target, and identification of firing simulator.
2. Description of Related Art
Weapon firing simulator systems are generally employed for giving training to trainees. The trainees are typically provided with real firearms, with virtual fire capability along with a simulated real life scenario. During the training the trainees use laser light to engage targets instead of real bullets. In general, the simulated weapons used in simulated real life scenarios are laser based fire simulators which comprise of laser transmitters. The laser transmitter transmits engagement info towards the targets when the fire trigger is actuated by the trainee or at time of simulated target impact. Thereafter the engagement effect on the targets is communicated to the weapon target simulation computer by means of plurality detectors mounted on to a target system.
Typically, there are two types of laser simulators i.e. Two-way Laser simulator and One-way Laser simulator. The Two-way Laser simulator includes retro-reflectors at the target and the laser light travels both from and to the fire simulator. On other hand, the One-way Laser simulator does not include retro-reflectors at the target and the laser light travels only in one direction i.e. from the transmitter to the target.
Conventionally, the laser transmitter transmits the laser beam which comprises of a laser lobe. The laser lobe is a compilation of different intensities in different directions of radiation. While typically following the simulated projectile or missile with the scanning laser beam towards the target the trainee fire simulator scans the target system by means of the laser lobes and when the radiant intensity from the laser lobe at a particular distance from the emitter and in a particular direction exceeds a detection level at any detector on the target, a simulated effect of firing with the weapon towards the target system that lies in the said direction and at the said distance is obtained.
The laser transmitter consists of one or more fan shaped or round shaped laser lobes. However, the laser lobes may be of any other shape and dimensions. FIG. 1a &b illustrates scanning performed by three fan shaped Laser lobes of a know laser transmitter. In the lobe pattern shown in FIG. 1a, the two outer orthogonal lobes is constructing the basis for an x-y coordinate system used by the weapon simulator to present e.g. a simulated projectile or missile position to the target system(s). The weapon simulator is continuously pre-calculating the simulated projectile or missile position coordinate during the scanning and in case the Laser lobes are passing one or more target detector(s) the simulated projectile or missile position is automatically transferred as shown in FIG. 1b. In case there are only Two-way weapon target simulators in the training area, the simulated projectile or missile position is typically transferred only in case of Laser light reflection, as the target detector and the retro-reflector are mounted close to one another. However, in such type of system two or more laser lobes are required to scan the target and accumulated information is transferred to the transmitter. This process requires cumbersome process of combining information retrieved by each of the lobe during scanning and analysis of such combined information requires a significant time to complete.
Patent document U.S. Pat. No. 4,218,834 describes a military training system for scoring a simulated weapon firing. The type of simulation disclosed in the patent is usually applied as a real time type of simulation as scanning fan shaped Laser beams usually follows the simulated flying projectile or missile during its time of flight. This system provides information about the projectile or missile position however it utilizes plurality of laser lobes to determine the position information.
Therefore, there is a need of an improved cost effective weapon simulation system which utilizes minimum number of laser lobes to scan the target system and provides projectile or missile information accurately in minimal time.